The system of mechanics devised by Isaac Newton (1642-1727) based on his laws of motion dealing with the kinematics and dynamics of large-scale (macroscopic) objects, and in which mass and energy are considered to be separate, conservative properties. See Biomechanics, Dynamical system, Dynamics, Energy, Force, Hypothetico-deductive method, Kinematics, Kinetics, Linear dynamical systems, Mass, Newton’s laws …
Author Archives: Brian Hopkins
newton
An SI unit of force defined as the force required to give a mass of one kilogram an acceleration of one meter per second per second (1ms-2). See Biomechanics, Force, Joule, Moment of force, SI unit, Torque
Newton’s laws of motion
First law: a rigid body continues in a state of rest or a uniform motion in a straight line unless it is acted upon by external forces Second law: the rate of change in the linear momentum of a rigid body is proportional to and in the same direction as the force applied. If the mass remains …
Newborn swimming
As demonstrated by Myrtle B. McGraw (1899-1988), human newborns show swimming-like patterns of movement (see figure below) reminiscent of the front and back crawl when placed faced down or supine in water, suggesting a strong and well-developed diving reflex in newborns. It also suggests that it is an ontogenetic adaptation to prenatal life in the amniotic fluid as, …
Newton’s law of universal gravitation
There is a force of attraction between any two particles in the universe. Thus, every particle attracts every other particle with a force,F, given by F = Gm1m2 where m1 and m2 are the masses two particles at distance x apart, and G is the universal gravitational constant, which is now put at 6.672 59 x …
Newborn imitation
The ability of human newborns to imitate facial and hand movements when in an appropriate waking behavioural state and under strict experimental conditions. The ability drops out the repertoire to reappear some months later in the form as originally described by Piaget (i.e., emulation that involves not just the imitation of ends, but also the …
Newborn encephalopathy
A clinically defined syndrome of disturbed neurological function occurring during the first week of life manifested by seizures, abnormal consciousness, difficulty maintaining respiration, difficulty feeding and abnormal tone and reflexes. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy without evidence of causation by hypoxia-ischemia. See Anoxia, Cerebral palsy, Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy
Newborn behavioral states
Distinct conditions with specific properties, ranging from regular sleep to vigorous activity and crying, that reflect particular modes of nervous activity. The newborn is different and older children as well as adults as newborn begins sleep in REM sleep, and changes at about 6 months to commencing with NREM sleep, a change that remains altered. …
Newborn
The internationally agreed on definition for humans is an infant during the first 2 weeks after birth, although this does not hold for some countries (e.g., US) where it can extend to the first month after birth. Compared to non-human primates, both human brain and body weights at birth are higher although the duration of …
New York Longitudinal Study (NYLS)
A pioneering retrospective and longitudinal study of temperament begun by Alexander Thomas (1914-2000) and Stella Chess (1914-2007) in the late 1950s. Parent descriptors of their infants‚aa behaviours in questionnaires and interviews resulted in the identification of nine dimensions of temperament, subsequently reduced to three broad categories (‘easy babies’, ‘difficult babies’, and ‘slow-to-warm up babies’). As the children …